Interviews

Potter: We deserved to win the match

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Head coach delighted with late equaliser against Palace, but felt his side should have won.

By Charlie Hanson • 18 October 2020

By Paul Hazlewood
Albion boss Graham Potter at Selhurst Park.

Graham Potter said he was disappointed that his side did not take all three points against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

After Wilfried Zaha had given the hosts the lead against the run of play from the penalty spot midway through the first half, Alexis Mac Allister grabbed an excellent late equaliser to ensure Albion went home with a share of the spoils.

Potter said, “It was a thoroughly deserved point and I thought the game went well from our perspective. The first time they entered our box and one of the few times throughout the afternoon they got a penalty.

“We created some good chances, reduced them to not having many and I was happy for the boys that they got something from the game but I am disappointed for them that we didn’t get all three.

“We have to keep going and turn the performances into more points.”

03:09

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Potter: We deserved more

Asked about Palace’s penalty, Potter said, “It looked a little soft. If you’re going to defend the referee, as soon as you put your arm up you’re giving the referee an excuse to give it, but at the same time just because his arm is up it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a foul either.

“Michy Batshuayi went down quite easily, it was smart from him, but I don’t think it’s a penalty. I haven’t seen it back in too much detail though.”

Lewis Dunk was given a straight red card for a high challenge on Gary Cahill in injury time and will now miss the games against West Brom, Spurs and Burnley and there were no complaints from his manager.

“It’s a red card, it’s not a good challenge and it’s not one we want to see. I know Lewis didn’t mean to hurt anybody, but he went in with too much force and we hold our hands up and say that’s not good enough from us.”

Palace boss Roy Hodgson felt it was a keenly contested derby.

“It was a hardworking defensive display, but we were slightly guilty of protecting the lead in the second half. The goal they scored took a big deflection and to be fair they will say it was probably a goal they deserved. In terms of their second-half performance, Brighton asked a lot of questions of our defence.

“Lewis Dunk will accept it was a bad challenge which was correctly punished. He wanted to force the ball over the line for the winner and I’m 100% sure he wasn’t thinking it wasn’t an opportunity to injure someone because he is not that sort of player.”